


Letters to You

by edgeofmyniall



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Dunkirk, F/M, Harry Styles - Freeform, dunkirk harry, haeey, harry 1d - Freeform, solider harry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-07-27 01:56:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7598956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edgeofmyniall/pseuds/edgeofmyniall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Melanie Rose, a widow and a grandmother at the ripe age of 92, has long forgotten about the pain, miserable suffering and heart ache that the last world war brought her until one day a visitor starts asking all the right questions. Through a series of letters, Melanie Rose tells her story of love and heartache with the only man turned solider she’s ever truly loved. Destiny and true love always bring you back to the ones you loved, even if it is through memories…</p><p>**this story is a dedication to my grandparents who somewhat inspired this story**</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introduction

She hates looking at the photographs in the dusty photo album. She hates the way that the memories come flooding back to her, paining her heart, reminding her of the separation, loneliness, and the feeling of letting go of the one person she never wanted to get tired of holding on to. It’s been seventy-one years since the last world war, and Melanie Rose hates how her granddaughter wants to bring up her past life. Melanie Rose’s once dark brown hair is now turned silver, falling out more each day, her chocolate brown eyes have faded into a light grey tone, and her once smooth and flawless skin is now covered with wrinkles and age spots. Melanie Rose shakily lifts her fragile crooked fingers to run though her granddaughter’s hair, lacing it behind her ear. Her dark hair and bright green eyes remind Melanie Rose so much of him, the one who’s eyes still haunt her dreams after these many years. Melanie Rose misses him and still loves him with ever fiber in her being, this much is true, but the way Aubrey, her granddaughter, flips the plastic covered black and white photos makes her old slow beating heart pump faster as she passes pictures of them. Aubrey suddenly stops, boring holes into the picture of young Melanie Rose and him. The way Aubrey squints her eyes at the faded picture makes it seem like he’s almost here, next to Melanie Rose. They are so much alike, it scares Melanie Rose half to death, and with her being ninety-two there’s not much that wouldn’t put Melanie Rose out of her misery. Sitting back into the plaid couch, Melanie Rose rests her hands on her wooden cane, knowing that her granddaughter was about to ask some intense questions, and this time, after many years of silence and refusal to answer her children’s own questions, she was ready to relive the many years of her young life.

She couldn’t stop thinking about him, how he was the only one who she didn’t mind calling her Mellie, and how he would sit beside her with his hand on her kneecap while listening to the radio in her parent’s old house when they courted. He had been proper around her, even when they were alone in the privacy of their own company. He was a gentleman through and through, and maybe that’s what caught her attention with the way he held the door open for her and how he always had the handkerchief ready when she sneezed in class. They met when one day when in science class the teacher had paired them up to do an experiment with frogs and while every other boy held the dead limp frog in their female partner’s face, swinging it around in the arir, he asked if Melanie Rose wanted to cut the frog open herself. However, the one thing that threw Melanie Rose off when she got to know him is that he was only a gentleman to her. He threw spitballs at the teachers, told horrible jokes about the principal behind his back, and hung out with his friends who were the known troublemakers. He was her pastor’s son, and while he had a bad boy reputation going on at school, he always was the kindest person to Melanie Rose. Melanie Rose’s parents didn’t approve of her new friend, but they came around when he showed up to Melanie Rose’s house dressed in his Sunday’s best on a Saturday afternoon with a light bulb bow tie that he had made the day before. He asked for Melanie Rose’s father when Melanie Rose answered the door, asking him permission to court her and helped Melanie Rose’s mother and Melanie Rose with the dinner that night. People where shocked at first when Melanie Rose had his arm slung carefully over her shoulder. The bad boy and the sweet angel dating was the scandalous news since the gym teacher was caught kanoodling with the secretary in the janitor’s closet. They dated for a year before he was sent off to war, and the picture that Aubrey was now squinting at was the picture that he had sent Melanie Rose when he was stationed on base.

“Nan, is this Grandpap?’ Aubrey asked, her bright green eyes, the same ones as his, look up to Melanie Rose. Hubert, Aubrey’s grandfather, was a good man. He was honest, kind and truthful, God rest his soul, and Melanie Rose loved Hubert, but when he wasn’t the one who she thought of after all these years. She clears her throat, closing her tired and worn eyes for a second and looks back to her granddaughter.

“No, it isn’t,” Melanie Rose says smoothly. She’s calmer than she thought she would be. This is the first time Aubrey has visited since she went off to college, and now she’s here for the whole summer. She never would have agreed to this if Aubrey had not said that she was writing for her blog thing about what really happened in the war. Melanie Rose didn’t want her story out in the public, but she knew that it was time to tell it whether it ended up in just Aubrey’s mind or on the internet, “that’s my….” Melanie Rose pauses. What is a good word for him? “friend, Mr. Harry Styles.”

“Why do you have so many pictures with him?” Aubrey tucks the other side of her hair behind her ear and looks deep into Melanie Rose’s eyes. Melanie Rose knows Aubrey deserves the truth, but she wants to hold on to her secret a little longer. Maybe if she only tells parts of the story that maybe that Aubrey would be happy with it, but something deep down in Melanie Rose knows that she shouldn’t keep this hidden any longer. Melanie deserves peace, and Harry deserves his story told.

“Because he was my first boyfriend,” Melanie Rose sighs, her voice shakes with emotion. A tear falls down Melanie Rose’s face. This was the first time that she said that aloud. Not even Hubert knew about Harry, but in all honesty Hubert didn’t care about Melanie Rose’s past. Aubrey, however, wanted to know about her grandmother’s past, even if that meant digging through her closet of skeletons. “He was the one who I fell deeply in love with before the world war. He was the only one I ever truly loved.” Melanie Rose breathes out, her chest rattling from old age as she looks at her granddaughter in all honesty. More tears were forming in her eyes, and with shaking lips, she parts her lips slightly to finish her explanation. “I loved your grandfather, I really did, but with Harry I was so in love that I was mad. Belligerent even, I swear my parents were going to lock up me in the crazy house when Harry went off to war. He was the person I was going to marry….” It’s all too much now, the tears were flowing and her voice breaks. It’s a wound that never healed. Melanie Rose kept picking the scab on her heart when she thought of him, but now it’s like slicing open the wound all over again.

“What happened to him?” Aubrey is insistent, something Melanie Rose’s daughter, Darcy, swears she got from her, and Melanie Rose never denied it. Melanie Rose can’t look at Aubrey for very long or Harry’s face would appear. Melanie Rose sits up to pick up the old photo album that was holding by a few seams, and gingerly trails her fingers over the picture; the same picture she used to hold when she slept, the same picture that seen many tears, and the same picture that kept her heart alive during the war.

“Go make some tea while I fetch the letters,” Melanie Rose says coolly and places the album on the coffee table. She scoots up to the edge of the couch and feels the hands of her granddaughter wrap around her heavy arm. She lifts up, putting most of her weight on her cane and slowly hobbles out of the sitting room. She hears Aubrey heating up a kettle of water when Melanie Rose reaches her bedroom. She turns to her chest of drawers, and leaning her cane on the next to the tallest drawer, she opens the top one. Scooting her night gowns aside, she reaches in the back and grabs a dusty aged old envelope that is stuffed with yellow colored letters. She flips the envelope over and gasps out at the sight of the faded handwriting that is from Harry Styles. This is the first time that Melanie Rose has held these in her hands in years, keeping them quietly hidden from everyone. She lets out a big sigh, and closes the drawer. Melanie Rose grabs her cane and hobbles back to the sitting room where Aubrey is waiting with tea ready in cups.

“Grab that picture will ya?” Melanie Rose points her wrinkled forefinger at the picture of lone Harry and sits down. Aubrey leans over and lifts open the plastic protective covering off the worn pictures. Aubrey tenderly pulls the picture out its place and hands it to her grandmother. Melanie Rose feels like she’s holding a foreign object, all the years of holding this picture have come back to her. This picture was her home. “These are the letters Harry and I sent back and forth to each other. The only thing I ask of you is that you read them aloud for me, please.”

“Why do you have the ones you sent Harry?” Aubrey looks down to the mass of letters that Melanie Rose was handing her, her eyes full of wonder.

“I’ll tell you after you finish the letters,” Aubrey pulls out the first one that was close to the back of the envelope, knowing her grandmother had put them in chronological order. Aubrey’s breath shakes as she breathes out before unfolding the worn letter. Melanie Rose looks down at Harry’s picture, gazing over his eyes remembering how green they were, and realizing it was, right here in this moment with Aubrey in the midst of reliving Melanie Rose’s most vulnerable moments, the point of no return.


	2. The Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “If I could fly, I would be coming right back home to you…….Pay attention, I hope that you listen ‘cause I let my guard down. Right now I’m completely defenseless.”
> 
> “This isn’t a goodbye Mellie; this is a see-ya-later. I swear on God’s will you’ll see me again I just know it,” Harry rasps out, his voice cracking as the words fumble out. He half believes it. He’s praying that he’ll come back alive to his Mellie, and maybe that’s all he needs to keep his hope alive. “Plus I’ve got to get my necklace back,” The train whistle blows, and the young couple know that the dreaded moment has come. “I’ve got to go, Mellie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated this in a long time... i'm working on finishing this up!!

February 1940

Melanie Rose hates goodbyes. She despises how depressive they are, almost as much as she despises getting less an A on any graded assignment. But what she hates most of all is saying goodbye to her boyfriend. Harry insists that it isn’t a goodbye, more of a see you later kind of thing, but deep in Melanie Rose’s gut she knows that this will be the last time that Harry will be standing in front of her for a long time. Walking through the middle of a busy platform at the Cheshire train station, Melanie Rose clings to Harry as if her life depended on it. Carrying his tattered duffle bag in his right arm with his olive green army jacket laying across his folded elbow, Harry slinks his arm over Melanie Rose’s shoulder just like he did when he was in high school. Melanie Rose watches the young girls bidding their boyfriends and husbands goodbye as they were stepping onto the trains, and Melanie Rose knew that scene she was watching was about to become her reality. Harry stops and pulls his ticket out of his shirt pocket; he’s doing anything to prolong his goodbye. Melanie Rose steps in front of Harry, letting his arm fall down to his side. She looks down at Harry’s dark green tie, running her fingertips along the corners of the crisp material. She doesn’t want Harry to see her like this, like she watching her world crumble down and there was nothing she could do but to sit and watch it. Melanie Rose sniffles, failing to cover up the fact that she’s crying, and she feels Harry’s fingers cup her chin, tilting it up slightly so he can look into her brown eyes. Melanie Rose’s tears fall down her face as she closes her eyes. This is not how Melanie Rose wants Harry to remember her. With a sharp quivering intake of a breath, Melanie Rose opens her eyes and forces a smile on her face.

“Got everything?” Melanie Rose chokes out. She smoothens out Harry’s wrinkle free tie from where her fingers had just been. A million thoughts race through her mind as she looks into Harry’s eyes one last time. She wants to remember everything about Harry. The way one tendril of curly brown hair hangs on Harry’s forehead no matter how much hair tonic he put on it, the way his dimples were evident when he forced his smile to attempt to make Melanie Rose feel better, and how his green still twinkled as he looked down at Melanie Rose were all etching their permanent spot in her brain.

“Yes love,” Harry whispers. He wants to console Melanie Rose, but he’s barely keeping himself together. Melanie Rose asked him if he had everything he needed ever since he finished packing. At first, he thought nothing of it, probably just a habit that showed up when she was nervous, but now it’s almost as if she’s covering up her breaking heart. “Actually I’m missing one thing…” Melanie Rose’s eyes become frantic and begins to listing off things off that Harry had in his bag.

“What? Do you have your clothes? Your toothbrush? Extra set of uniforms? My picture?” Melanie Rose starts to reach for Harry’s army green duffle bag, but Harry pulls her closer to him, kissing Melanie Rose’s forehead.

“I wish I could take you with me,” Harry chokes out. This is it. Everything in Harry is fighting not to break down , but feeling Melanie Rose’s arms wrap around his body and squeeze him with all her might make this battle lost. “Mellie, I-“

“I don’t want to say goodbye to you,” Melanie Rose bursts out, her voice ragged from her face pressed into Harry’s uniform. She looks up to Harry, who is on the verge of crying. “What if I never see you again?”

Harry sets his bag and coat down and pulls at something around his neck. The silver paper airplane pendant appears as he pulls it over his neat hair. He softly smiles at Melanie Rose and places the necklace onto her neck.

“This isn’t a goodbye Mellie; this is a see-ya-later. I swear on God’s will you’ll see me again I just know it,” Harry rasps out, his voice cracking as the words fumble out. He half believes it. He’s praying that he’ll come back alive to his Mellie, and maybe that’s all he needs to keep his hope alive. “Plus I’ve got to get my necklace back,” The train whistle blows, and the young couple know that the dreaded moment has come. “I’ve got to go, Mellie.”

Melanie Rose wraps her arms around her beau and kisses him. If her parents were here, they would have scolded her for the way she kissed Harry, but this was the last time that Melanie Rose would see Harry. “Let me walk you to your train.”

Hand and hand, they make their way through the crowd and come to a congested doorway of Harry’s train. Harry turns to face Melanie Rose one last time and sees her crying again. He wipes away a tear with his thumb and kisses her forehead before walking towards the crowd of soldiers, letting their intertwined fingers slip.

Melanie Rose’s eyes follow Harry as he makes his way onto the train. He stops briefly to give his name and ticket to a man that has a clipboard and then makes his way to the couches in the back of the train. Melanie Rose doesn’t even know that she’s actually moving until she brushes shoulders with some aged man. She mutters a “sorry” softly, her eyes never leaving Harry. He sits down at the window after putting his bag and coat on the shelf above him and leans his head against the cracked window.

“Harry! Harry!! HARRY!” Melanie Rose shouts out, but her efforts are drowned out by the whistle of the train. She begins to wave her arms back and forth, not caring if someone thought she was a lunatic. She just wants to get Harry’s attention.

Harry looks at the big clock that hangs in the train station. Ten o’clock was the time that he dreaded for months now. Even before today, when he noticed the time on a clock, he would flinch. He never wanted to leave town, his family, her….

“Oi mate! I think that girl is tryin’ get your attention,” A soldier nudges Harry’s arm. He points outside the train and when Harry follow his finger, he sees her. Harry places his hand on the glass and pushes it down farther. “Mellie?” She walks up the train, her pointed toe shoes on the edge of the platform as she reaches up, her fingers aching for Harry’s. Harry reaches down, barley touching her fingers. Harry’s fore finger and thumb interlock with hers. Just one last touch….

“I love you, Harry Styles,” Melanie Rose says as the train’s wheels begin to turn. Her lips quiver as she fights back her tears. Harry feels the tug of the train as it slowly moves.

“I love you more, Melanie Rose Rhys.”

Melanie Rose tries to run with the train, but it’s gaining more speed for her to keep up as it pulls out of the station and for the last time, their fingers slip out of each other’s grasps. Melanie, breathless, watches as the last box car pulls out. Her hand clasps around Harry’s necklace, and just like that she was alone. Alone in a crowded room and for the first time since Harry told her that he was drafted, she broke down.

Harry watched out the window as Melanie Rose disappeared from his sight. He sits himself back down into his seat and pulls out the picture of Melanie Rose from his breast pocket.

“Nice girl ya got there,” the same man who nudged Harry in the station is speaking to Harry again, and this time Harry got a better look at him. Blonde and blue eyed, the man seems a little too chipper to be on a train to a military base. “Mine wouldn’t even get out of bed this mornin’.”

“Thanks and thank you for earlier,” Harry says. He doesn’t want to make friends because he knows that wars kill friends so he goes back to looking at the picture of Mellie, remembering every detail of her as much as he can. It’s going to be a long year without her.

“Name’s Niall Horan,” the blonde man reaches his hand out and Harry shakes it with his.

“Harry,” Harry mutters. His head is full of thoughts of Melanie Rose as Niall begins talking about himself and his life back home. Harry doesn’t pay much attention, but only nods his head occasionally so he doesn’t come off rude for not listening.

“What about you? How did you and your girl meet?” Niall asks and Harry’s eyes pop up from his picture and begin to twinkle.

“Mellie? Oh man, you got to get yourself a girl like her. She’s great. I never would have thought that she and I would have worked, but we do,” The words are just coming out of him. He’s not usually a talker unless it’s about her. “How did we meet? Well, it all started in science class when we had a lab with frogs……….

On a crisp Saturday, Melanie Rose sits in her living room reading a book for her literature class when her father dropped a letter into her lap. Melanie Rose closes her book, placing it on the end table next to her, and turns the letter over. Her heart almost leaps out of her chest. It’s from Harry. It’s been over a month since they went to the train station, and finally after waiting for what feels like eternity, Melanie Rose finally gets her peace of knowing that Harry is okay. She gently tears open the fold of the letter with her fingernail and unfolds the three page letter.

“21 February, 1940 

My Dearest Mellie, 

I just let you go. I don’t like how empty how empty my fingers or my heart feels. If I could fly out of this train, I would fly right back home with you. There’s this guy sitting in front of me who I think you would like. His name’s Niall. He’s got the same sense of humor as you, but you’re better at faking your laugh when I tell you a horrible joke. I forgot to tell you a joke I made up before I left because you were making me cry. What did the dad buffalo say to his sin buffalo when he went off to war? Bison. Get it?

I miss your laugh and your smile. And how you lean your head on my shoulder when you can’t admit that you’re sleepy. I keep trying to remember every detail of your face and remember your laugh. That’s why I told so many jokes when I found out I had been drafted. I wanted to remember what it felt like when your laugh filled the room. We’re getting roll called again. Talk soon love. X

1 March, 1940

Hi my love, I finally got the time to write. It took us two hours to get to London and then we were sorted into every branch of the military and driven to base. Niall is stationed with me. He’s a real friend here. He’s a real military brat so he knows the ends and outs of everything. Camp was hard. We woke up at 3 to be yelled at, shoved, and verbally abused, I thought my body was going to break from all the labor, but I learned some many things here. I have a real defensive side when it comes to people I care about. Niall got into a fight with one of our crewmates and when I stepped in to break them up, the guy called us a horrible name and punched Niall in the nose. So I punched him back. Now Niall was a bruised swollen nose. Niall reminds me of you so much and I just couldn’t help myself from defending him. After boot camp, I got assigned to work on the airplanes! My commander says I’ll have to be shipped out, but I won’t see any action. Our prayers have been answered! Mellie, I miss you so much. At night, I can’t sleep without you coming into my dreams. You’re always in them. You’re inside a home safe and sound and I’m on the outside, not being able to reach you. On base there’s so many things to keep my mind off missing you too much, and if we’re good during the week, we can go out one night a week to visit the civilians. Niall wanted me to come, but I’m here writing you instead.

I can’t wait to come home to you. I’m getting out of the military as soon as I get home. This life isn’t for me. My life is wherever you are, and that’s where I’m the happiest. The guys think I’m being a whipped puppy when I talk about you and our future together. I tell them that I’m marrying you when I get back and I am. Mellie I swear I am. I’m going to be your husband and you’re going to be my wife after I get back and you graduate. I know you can do this. You were sixteen in my senior class when we met. You and I both know how smart you are. Please don’t give up.

5 March, 1940

I’m missing you a lot today. One of my crew members had his girlfriend visit today, and part of me wants you to visit me, but I know that will only make our goodbyes harder. I think he had special privileges anyways. His father is the commanding officer over our regiment. But the thought keeps my hopes alive that I’ll see you again. I feel your heart inside of mine. I’m going out of my mind without your warmth of your smile. It’s been almost a month since we last saw each other. I’m missing half of me when we’re apart. Please write back soon, I can’t wait to hear you. I’m trying to get some time with the telley.

I would give up everything to be with you, you just have to ask.

On God’s will I’ll see you soon my love,

H. X

P.S. Give my parents the address and tell them to write me. I love you with my whole heart darling. X”

March 1940

Melanie Rose lays the creased letters in her lap and looks in the envelope. There in the pocketed material lays a picture of her boyfriend. She picks it up, examining Harry’s slight smile and how his hair still isn’t perfect, and grasps it to her chest. She misses Harry more than he could imagine. After a month of worrying and crying herself to sleep over the thought of Harry not being okay, she finally got her answer. Melanie Rose decides, in that moment, that she’s going to keep that picture of Harry on her being until he comes home. The silent living room suddenly is filled with the sound of the phone ringing. Melanie Rose’s mother, still in her flour covered apron, comes out of the kitchen to answer the house phone.

“Rhys’ residence,” Melanie Rose’s mother clasps her hand over her mouth and hands Melanie Rose the phone. “It’s for you,” her mother’s smile growing on her face. With her brow furrowed from confusion, Melanie Rose places the receiver to her ear before answering.

“Hello?” Melanie Rose asks, not quite sure of who would be calling her. All of her friends are off doing school work or visiting with their significant others. The deep sound of heavy breathing can be heard on Melanie Rose’s end.

“Hi, Mellie.”


	3. Memory Lane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I have loved you since I was 18….”
> 
> In which, Melanie Rose responses to Harry’s letter and Harry impatiently waits for her response

“Mellie, I got to go, alright? Write me back please. I love you.”

Two minutes. That’s all Melanie Rose got to talk to Harry. Melanie Rose hung the receiver on the wall and sunk to the floor, clinging to Harry’s necklace that was still wrapped around her neck. Melanie Rose’s head hit the wall as she closed her eyes, hiding her tears. Harry had to go. His voice was strained and almost reluctant when he spoke those words. Those two minutes were what Melanie Rose was going to cling to when she doubted Harry’s love for her. During those two minutes, the only thing he could tell her was how much he loved her and how badly he missed her. Melanie Rose couldn’t stop the tears from falling, they came like a waterfall when she heard Harry’s voice.

“3 April, 1940

My Harry,

I just got off the phone with you. I missed your voice, and it was so good to hear from you. I was getting so worried about you. Laura got Carrington’s letter last week, but I knew you wouldn’t forget to write. Our phone call is something I’m going to cling to until you get home, even if it was cut short. I keep rereading your letter. I do hope that you are getting treated fairly there. Niall seems like a great fellow to have as a friend. I would love to meet him after you get back. I know you said that I shouldn’t come visit base, but maybe on holiday I can see you for a day…

It’s hard with you not here with me. School isn’t the same. I stand and wait for you at the steps, watching for you to emerge from the crowd, and maybe I’m still not used to you being graduated, or if I’m still in denial of you being gone. People look at me like I’m plagued because I’m just not as cheery as I once was. I just go to school, chat with Laura in the hallways, and do classwork. There is nothing exciting about school anymore. The teachers have noticed a difference in me as well. I don’t raise my hand and they have to force the answer out of me even though I know it. I’m just so worried about you.

I’m so relieved that you aren’t going to see any action. I’ve prayed and prayed, but there’s something in my gut that worries that you’ll end up having to fight. I hate this. I hate this war. I hate everything that keeps us apart. People try to comfort me, but it never works. I cried myself to sleep and worried myself sick for the first week. The radio said Germany was advancing towards us, and I know you’re close to their border. No amount of comforting words that you can tell me will make me stop worrying about you until you’re in my arms again.

Mum and Dad are so excited to announce that they’re expecting; I’m going to be a big sister! It’s a miracle, I know! The house is going to be super noisy and crowded from now on, but the glow on their faces, Harry, you should see it. They are so happy. I’m jealous of their happiness because that’s what I want with you. I want to be excited with you when we have our first child.

I’ve been helping out more at church since you’ve been gone. Your parents miss you very much. They are doing well besides when your dad’s back acts up on occasion; your little sister says she like you being gone, but she secretly misses you teasing her all the time. She’s still getting bullied and she won’t let anyone take up for her or do anything until you get back. I walk her to school every morning and she waits for me after it lets out so we and talk about our day. Yesterday, she told me that she was the best sister she’s ever had and she hopes that we’ll get married some day. I hope so too.

Ellie wants everyone to meet Hansel, her new beau, before he gets shipped off. I don’t know if I really want to go, but I want to be there for her. She’s worried, even though she won’t show it. She’s going through all the emotions that I’m going through, but she says that she doesn’t understand how our relationship is living through letters. I live for the day I get to read your next letter.

I’m going to lay in the grass tonight and look at the stars, hoping you’re looking at them too. I don’t car how inappropriate it is, if I know that you’re looking at the same moon as me, I know you’re okay. I don’t know if I want to rewind time to when you were here with me or if I want to go forward so I can hold you again. Every night when I close my eyes to sleep, your eyes are there. If I close my eyes tight enough, it’s almost like you’re here again. Don’t worry about me, I’m going to be just fine counting down the days until I see you again, my love.

You are the only one for me. You’re the only one who I want to spend the rest of my life with. I want grow old with you, have children with you, and just fall in love with you more every day. This war….this war is trying to put a pause on our love, but nothing in this world will ever make me stop loving you. I swear to you I will love you forever. I’ve got to go to bed, but I’ll write more soon.

4 April, 1940

My Harry,

I thought of you today. I went for a walk this afternoon and went to our spot under the tree where you carved our names. I remember how the warm hear from summer was finally settling down so you wore your blue plaid shirt that you bought to match my dress. You always wanted to do the “ridiculous” things that other couples do. We had a picnic that day and after eating you carved our names into a heart on that tree. I remember laughing at you when spelt your name wrong, but I wanted you to keep it anyways. I sat down in the same grass that we sat in not long ago and tried to remember everything that happened that day. You kissed my forehead as we watched clouds float by and talked about life. You laughed at me when I told you that I wanted to be a mom after high school because you think it’s funny that I work so hard in school just to be a mom. But that’s what I want to be, and just like the carving on the tree, you’ll always be there.

I told your joke to dad, but he didn’t think it was very funny. Maybe I’m not telling it right; you were always the one who made dad laugh with your jokes. Dad doesn’t think the war will end soon, but Mom keeps faith that it will. I just want you home so I know you’re safe. I know you said you aren’t going to see battle, but I’m still worried for you, and I won’t stop worrying until you’re in my arms again.

Do you remember our first date? You showed up to my house, completely terrified, with flowers that were half dead. Dad and you were buddies, but you were so nervous on taking me out on an actual real date that you completely ruined my good dress by slamming it in the car door. And you didn’t say a word! Now I can never get you to shut up! The movie was alright, but you pretended to be into it that I almost believed you liked it for a second. And when the night ended, you gave me your jacket in case I was cold. It smelled like you, and I knew from that moment that I wanted to spend the rest of my life falling in love with you. You kissed me on the cheek when you dropped me off and told me you were going to thank Mr. Waldon for pairing you up with the most amazing gal ever. But what you didn’t know then, Harry, was that I was already thanking God for putting you in my life, for giving me someone to love with my whole heart, and every day I thank him. Even though we’re far apart, that doesn’t mean that you’re not with me. You’re always with me. I can’t seem to get away from you. I’m reminded of you by your necklace, your picture that I keep in my pocket, the green grass that we always sat on, the clouds we used to watch, the river that we swam through, the night air when I would get cold and your arm would drape itself over my shoulders, pulling us closer so I can feel the warmth. Every day I’m reminded of you, and for that I’m lucky. I got to spend a year with you before you left. I can’t wait to hear from you again, my love. I’m counting the days, always.

Love forever,

Mellie”

Melanie Rose spritz her letter with the perfume Harry got her last Christmas and sits back in her chair. Flashes of Harry flood her mind. She remembers the one time Harry took her fishing. It was their second date, and Harry was pulling out all the stops into impressing Melanie Rose. He baited her hook, helped her cast out her line, and once she reeled in the tiniest of a fish, Harry attempted to take the fish off the line.

“P.S. I hope your fishing game improves while you’re gone.”

Summer 1939

“You aren’t scared, are you?” Melanie Rose laughed out as Harry’s hand jerks back at the squirming fish. “It’s not going to hurt you, ya know.”

“I know that, smartypants. I just don’t want to hurt it, ‘s all,” Harry carefully grips the fish in one hand and tries to pry the hook out of the mouth with the other. Melanie Rose notices how concentrated Harry is and decides now would be time to have Harry loosen up. Melanie Rose flicks her fishing pole towards Harry making the fish squirm harder causing Harry to jump back from fright. The fish comes off the line and lands back in the river, swimming away from the couple of lunatics that caught it. Melanie Rose drops her pole as she doubles off from laughing. Harry doesn’t realize that his fists are in the air as if he’s bracing for a fight. “Oi, that wasn’t very nice of you.”

Melanie Rose can’t stop laughing. She can’t understand how someone so tough like Harry can be so afraid of a tiny animal. “You…..You’re scared….,” Melanie Rose tries to speak, but the laughter takes over, “of a tiny…..fish…..”

“Go ahead,” Harry drops his fists and begins to walk back over to Melanie Rose, “laugh all ya want. I don’t like the way they feel, all slimly and mess.” Harry can’t help but feel like less than a man when Melanie Rose laughs at him, but when the pair of bright brown eyes look up at him as if he was the person that they only ever truly looked at, he slowly began to laugh at the incident that just happened. Harry slings his arm over Melanie Rose’s shoulders and pulls her into his chest, planting a small and innocent kiss on the top of Melanie Rose’s head before the words fall out of his mouth.

“I love you,” Harry said, the words hanging in the air as Melanie Rose wiped the tears from her eyes. She looks up at Harry, his heart hanging out in the open, waiting for Melanie Rose to do as she pleases. He’s never felt this way about anyone, even after dating Annie for two years no one in Harry’s life has made him feel like he was complete on his own. No one made his heart flutter and slow down at the same time like Melanie Rose did. Those brown eyes that first looked at him in science class just a few months ago flutter as they take in the sight of Harry being completely and utterly vulnerable. She felt the same as he did sure, but there was never a doubt in Melanie Rose’s mind that Harry was the one she was going to spend the rest of her life loving. There, standing on the rock, Melanie Rose pushed the curls out of Harry’s eyes and spoke the words that cemented their relationship forever.

“I love you more.”

April 29, 1940

Harry hated being near the engine of an airplane. Any slight tug of the wrong way and the whole hanger would be in bits. It was too risky for even Harry who loved living life on the edge. Well he used too; that was before he met Melanie Rose. Now he has someone waiting for him back home. The lads in his regiment picked on him when the mail was delivered. His head would pop up from the doorway, scanning the mailman, when his superior officer called out for mail. Every day since mailing his letter to Melanie Rose he had waited for her response. His phone call was cut short since he was on break when he called, and had to return when Niall came in the room with a one-minute warning. He loved hearing Melanie Rose’s soft voice. In those few minutes, if he closed his eyes tight enough it was almost as if she was there next to him.

Today was no different from any other day, Harry worked on some new engine praying he’s putting the parts together right. Niall keeps a close watch out of the windows for the mailman. He mutters something about how lovesick Harry is, but Harry smiles and continues his work. He’s tightening a bolt with a wrench when he feels Niall shove him on his shoulder.

“Oi, the mail’s ‘ere.” Niall chokes out, his thick accent heavy first thing in the morning.

Harry sits up, his back aching form leaning forward for a little too long. He unconsciously follows the mailman through the windows of the fighter plane. He sits down on the steps of the plane as he did everyday and awaits for the mail to be passed out. The officer salutes the mailman and begins to call out the names on the envelopes. One by one each solider receives a letter. His hopes of a letter from Melanie Rose were sinking. In the beginning, he made excuses for her. ‘She’s probably busy with school, ya know? I got myself a smart one.’ ‘She volunteers a lot so she’s busy.’ But now, it’s ridiculous how he hasn’t received anything from her. Surely she isn’t mad at Harry? Even if she was, Harry knows that he would receive a strongly worded letter on why Melanie Rose was mad at him. Harry stands up and turns to go back to his work when he hears something that stops him in his tracks. His name.


	4. All's Fair in Love and War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh how I miss you. How I long to just hear your voice. The days are long, and the nights are longer. I dream of you every night, dreaming of us being together again at last. You’re the only one for me Melanie Rose. I swear to you that I’m fighting this war on our love every day. No distance will ever stop me from loving you, no one can tell me that loving you is wrong, no war can put a halt to our love. I will love you until my last breath.

With the letter tucked firmly inside the pocket of his olive green coveralls, Harry heads to the barracks with Niall. Niall, after teasing Harry on how impatient he was, laughs at the wide grin that Harry is hiding from the rest of the men.

“Mate, she can’t be that amazin’. She’s got you fuckin’ googly-eyed just from a letter, insane,” Niall’s comment goes unwarranted, but Harry is only concerned with one thing. Reading his letter. As the regiment draws closer to the barracks, Harry’s nerves are starting to fill his body. Just the thought of reading the letter gives harry butterflies like the first time he ever saw Melanie Rose. The guys continue to laugh as Niall tenders unfiltered jokes Harry’s and Melanie Rose’s relationship, and it’s beginning to tick Harry off. Curling his fingers around the metal door handle of the barrack, Harry turns to face Niall who is wide eyes from surprised that it finally took Harry this long to confront him.

“I’ll write Mellie and see if she can find you a girl since yours hasn’t even written you. Or your hand can just take care of your needs for you,” Harry spits back, and the giggling of grown men is the only thing that can be heard while Niall’s face reddens from embarrassment.

“As long as she writes back faster than yours, I’ll be set,” Niall jokingly hits Harry shoulder as he pulls the door open. That was their friendship. Niall would tease Harry to the point that he would make a snide comment about something Niall held personal, and then Niall would finally understand that sometimes he would take his jokes too far. Niall and Harry would apologize privately, and it was nothing enormous, just a simple sorry from both ends, and that would be the end of it. Harry has never had a friend like Niall. Back home, Harry’s friends more or less got him into trouble even if he wasn’t apart of the activity. He always took the blame on the things he was innocent of, even one time getting arrested, dubbing him the Pastor’s son disappointment of Cheshire. It’s not that he didn’t like his friends, but he got tired of them wrecking havoc in his life, but that was all before Melanie Rose. The more time he spent with her, the less time he spent with his “friends” that dropped him as soon as he started dating Mellie.

“They weren’t your real friends, babe,” Mellie used to say, and she was right. She was right about a lot of things, and that’s one of the things that Harry is missing in his life, Mellie’s guidance and her imperior sense of right and wrong. Harry was missing Melanie Rose most of all. Being away from her, without being able to talk to her properly, to kiss her, to touch her, was eating at Harry every day. He swore to himself that he would be strong, but each day seemed more of a devastation to him than a one day closer to seeing Melanie Rose again. At night, Harry dreads sleeping because he knows that he’ll see Melanie Rose in dreams. Her soft brown eyes looking up to him with Harry trying to reach out to her to hold her, but the sound of the trumpets interrupts his dream. Every morning he squints his tighter to hold on to the image of Mellie before Niall taps him on the shoulder forcing him up. But now, sitting on his perfectly made bunk, Harry leans back against the wall and holds the envelope in his hands, staring at it not knowing what he should do. Niall lifts up the edge of his mattress and pulls out a banned magazine with a half naked covering the front before lying down on the bed beside Harry’s.

“Aren’tcha gonna open it ‘arry?” Niall nonchalantly says, flipping through his magazine that’s been read for the fifth time this week. “The suspense is killin’ me.”

“I…I can’t,” Harry admits. “If I open this, then it’s real. Everything up to this point has been a dream gone wrong. I feel sick to my stomach being away from her, and now it’s real. She’s in Cheshire, and I’m here in hell.” Everything comes out like vomit, and Harry can’t hold it in any longer. He’s held it all in until now, and this nightmare is his real life once he opens the letter. She’s not here with him, and that’s not where Harry wants to be. He longs to be back home knowing that Mellie is a drive or a phone call over, not miles upon miles away. Somehow, Niall seems to understand that Harry loves this girl more than he lets on, and maybe they are actual soul mates.

“I’m always here if you need to talk, ya know that?” Niall asks as he sits up to swivel his body around so he can sit on the edge of his bed. He opens his hand and reaches for the letter. “I’ll read it if ya don’t want to. I’m basically in a relationship with you two anyways, I feel like I know Mellie by now since ya never shut up about her; I’ll read the letter to ya.” Niall whispers, hoping none of the other guys could hear him. Harry looks at Niall, and very slowly hands Niall the letter. Niall quickly tucks the letter inside his coverall’s pocket and asks Harry if he wants to go outside for a smoke in his normal loud voice.

Outside, the sun was beating down on the metal building as Niall asks Harry if he wanted a cigarette. Harry takes the cigarette and lights it as Niall takes his own and lights it up with a match. When a large light gray puff of smoke escapes from Niall’s mouth, he reaches into his breast pocket and takes out the letter. Harry watches on, every emotion filling him up as Niall opens the envelope. Harry closes his eyes as he breathes in the nicotine, knowing that he’s got to quit this bad habit before he gets to go home.

“Ya ready, mate?” Niall asks, his voice unsure of what he’s gotten himself into. Harry nods his head and the words of Melanie Rose begin to speak to him. She wants to visit? Is that allowed? I said she shouldn’t but…. Her parents are pregnant?! Mellie’s going to be a big sister, oh I bet she’s thrilled. I wish the radio would stop saying private information over air, now Mellie’s even more worried. I need to tell her that I’m not going to get hurt. I need to write to Maggie too. I miss messing with her, mum and dad always told me that she loved the attention I gave her…. I’m going to look at the stars tonight and hope she’s looking at them too. When I get back I want to thank Mr. Waldon myself for putting Mellie with me. He changed my life. Niall cleared his throat making Harry open up his eyes. His cigarette burned to the nb while he listened on, but he didn’t care. He’ll pay back Niall another day for the cigarette. Throwing the bud to the ground, Niall handed Harry back his letter. A sudden whiff of familiar perfume filled Harry’s nose. She sprayed it with the perfume Harry gave her at Christmas.

“There was uh…some really mushy stuff in there, I uh….” Niall trailed off as he lit another cigarette.

“Thanks Niall, honestly. I won’t forget this.” Harry turned to shake Niall’s hand hoping this awkwardness would go away. Niall nodded his head while the smoke filled his lungs. Niall shook Harry’s hand, and when they let go Harry turned towards the back door.

“Don’t mention it,” Niall breathed out. “Like ever.”

5 May, 1940

My Mellie,

Oh how I miss you. How I long to just hear your voice. The days are long, and the nights are longer. I dream of you every night, dreaming of us being together again at last. You’re the only one for me Melanie Rose. I swear to you that I’m fighting this war on our love every day. No distance will ever stop me from loving you, no one can tell me that loving you is wrong, no war can put a halt to our love. I will love you until my last breath.

I can’t believe that you’re going to be a sister, oh Mellie you must be so excited. I know you’ll be an amazing sister; it’s great practice for when we have children. I’m going to write Maggie her own letter when I am finished with yours. I miss teasing her, but it seems to come back to me because Niall never stops teasing me about you. I think he’s secretly jealous, and wants a relationship like ours. When I get back from here, we can go together to Mr. Waldon and thank him. He changed my life by placing you with me in lab.

Mellie, I want to marry you when I get back. I want to start our lives together. This war is testing us, but I know that we will never break. You are my stronghold, my rock through all of this, You’re the only person who gets me through every day. Melanie Rose I want you to listen to me, do not listen to the radio. Do not fret over me more than you have to. I wish I can say that the radio is lying, but it’s not.

I have something to tell you. One of the guys in my barracks knows how to give tattoos and I got a rose on my arm to represent you so you’re always with me. I know that you hate tattoos, but I couldn’t not do it. I’ll try to phone you later this week. X

7 May, 1940

I can’t sleep. I keep seeing your eyes every time I close mine, and it terrifies me that when I get back that you won’t love me the same after this. I’m slowly changing during this, and I don’t know if I like it or not. I know that graduation is coming up soon, and you’ll be walking across the freshly mown grass to get your diploma…my girl, my sweet angel graduating a year early. You are so smart and so capable of doing anything you want. I am here supporting you. I wish you’d go to college and become a teacher or something, but you are going to follow your heart, and I can’t love you more than I already do for that. I am so lucky to call you mine. When we begin our family, I want to name our little girl Darcy. It just seems fitting that name follows a mother like you.

I’m continuing to work on airplanes and sometimes it scares me more than facing actual war. If something isn’t perfect the whole airplane could go to bits, which is why they put me in charge. They asked if anyone had prior engine work, and I raised my hand not knowing that I would still put my life at risk. Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.

You are my world and I can’t wait for the day I see you again. I am so proud of you Mellie. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I don’t take for granted your love or our time together.

On God’s will I will see you again,

H. x

Harry folded the letter and slipped it inside his boots that set just under his bed.. Under the moonlight shining through the windows, the barracks felt peaceful and a lot lonelier. Harry, careful not to wake his bunk mate and Niall who is snoring softly, climbs out of bed and walks to the back door. The door creaks, but Harry quickly shifts through the door way and closes it. The hot night air, that feels cooler than inside, breezes through the base as Harry lifts his head to look at the night sky. Twinkling tiny lights light up the sky and somehow Harry knew that miles away Melanie Rose was looking up at the same sky that he is currently looking at. Before the war, Harry thought wishing upon a star was cheesy, but now, in the quiet dead of night he wished that the war would end.

A sudden crunching of gravel interrupts Harry’s moment of privacy as the sound of passing voices came from a few barracks. Harry knew he would be in trouble if he was caught. One solider who got caught sneaking out was put in prison, and even though Harry knew that he isn’t trying to escape convincing whoever was out here might be tough so he quickly crouches behind a stack of sand bags next to the back door of the barracks.

“General, they need to know,” Harry hears the familiar voice of his commanding officer whispering as the sound of footsteps begin to walk closer to his regiment’s barrack.

“I will not have them scared for their lives. Yes, these men, they deserve to know, but I will not have them on edge every god damn minute!” the general’s voice a little louder than he intended. “If the Germans attack us, then we will fight, but do not say a word to any of these men.”

“But General, they have wives, families, girlfriends….” The two men stopped walking right in front of the sand bags that Harry was hiding behind as the General turns to look Harry’s officer in the face.

“Not a word, do you understand me?” The General’s harsh words linger in the air as he turns to walk off before the commanding officer could answer him.

“Yes sir.” A sharp pain through Harry’s leg from the position he was in, and in a moment of pained relief, Harry’s leg slips almost as a reflex to stretch out the cramp. Harry’s commanding officer’s head snapped towards the noise of gravel being shifted, and the eyes of a surprised officer look into Harry’s scared ones. If his officer could hear Harry’s heart beating, he would not be surprised. Ready to accept his punishment, Harry stood up, wiping off the gravel off his pajamas. His officer walked up to him, still staring at him with immense shock and anger.

“Styles, what did you hear?” his officer barked.

“Nothing sir, not a word,” Harry whispered, sweat beading off his forehead.

“Not a fucking thing, go back to your bunk.” Harry scoots past his officer and grabs the handle of the back door. Harry turns his head to look at his officer one last time hoping that he didn’t hear what was just said. “Please don’t mention it to the other men; I don’t need them scared while working on engines.” Harry nodds his head and opened up the door to a stifling room filled with sleeping men.


	5. Break Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I dedicate the character Matt Irwin to the late Matt who was one of Harry’s good friends. x 
> 
> “At night when the stars light up my room I sit by myself talking to the moon. Trying to get to you in hopes you’re on the other side talking to me to. Or am I am a fool who sits alone talking to the moon?”
> 
> “If you ever doubt my love, please know that I could never love someone else the way I love you. You will always be my first love, the one who I will always compare to, and if I am lucky enough to marry you, I will never not tell you how much you mean to me every day. I am so ready to have you in my arms again………One day, my love, we will be able to sit on the porch and watch the moon together every night with our children tucked soundly in bed, and be very much in love. I like to imagine that we are like an instrument and a beat. One would not have a meaning without the other. You pull me in, when my head is floating, like a magnet. I’m being pulled into you…I always am, and Harry I never want to be let go.”

Late May 1940

Hanging her cap on the outer pole of her white metal bedframe, Melanie Rose plopped onto her bed, still in her graduation gown. She did it; she finally graduated. While she did graduate a year early, it seemed like this day would never get here. Today was perfect. The sun shone, but it wasn’t too hot, the ceremony didn’t take as long as Melanie Rose expected, and she even got a letter from Harry. He always seemed like he knew when Melanie Rose needed him the most. Of course Harry was there at graduation, Melanie Rose’s mother carried a framed picture of Harry in his military suit so he could watch his girl graduate. This was the happiest Melanie Rose had been since before Harry left.

She couldn’t help but imagine what Harry would be like if he was here. Would he super happy and all over the place? Would he have shouted when they called Melanie Rose’s name? Or would he be taken aback that his girl was a high school graduate, that she did it? Melanie Rose picked up the letter from Harry that lay in front of her and began to open it. What does he have to say? What could be on his mind? Is he getting enough sleep? Are they treating him fairly? Melanie Rose’s eyes zoomed across the pages, carefully soaking in every word that appeared. Then suddenly Melanie Rose felt a rush of desolation. More than anything, Melanie Rose wanted to share this moment with Harry, but he isn’t here. He’s nowhere near here. They were going to ship him off soon, she knew that even if Harry didn’t want to tell her. Melanie Rose’s forefinger gently traced over Harry’s H as a tear fell down her face.

She finally stopped crying. She had gone a week without feeling weak or guilty over the fact that she’s got it better than Harry, and maybe that was because of all the graduation commotion, but in this moment of being alone, Melanie Rose could not help but to feel every bit of sorrow that had been bottling up. She misses Harry so much that it aches her to think that he might not ever come back. Sure he works on airplanes, but no one ever knows what could happen. Why does this war have to separate us? How am I supposed to live without him? Melanie Rose thought. With everything, she wanted to rescue Harry and live a life as a runaway. She doesn’t care as long as she had Harry. A sudden call for Melanie Rose to come down stairs intruded Melanie Rose’s moment with Harry. She clambered off the bed and fixed her make up, wiping the last of her tears, before making her way to the graduation party that her parents threw together. She’d write Harry later…

He knows Melanie Rose would be graduating soon, and every morning around ten o’clock he’d give a moment to himself hoping somehow Melanie Rose would know how proud he is of her. Harry, sitting in the mess hall, imagines himself at the graduation. He would jump up and scream like an idiot when they would call Melanie Rose’s name, and afterwards, he’d jump the barrier that would be blocking him from the grassy football field, from where Melanie Rose would be and he would run up to her, giving her the biggest kiss that would be inappropriate for public, but in that moment he would not care.

When they celebrate at home, he would follow Melanie Rose around like a lost puppy congratulating her every few minutes, hoping it would somehow sink into Mellie’s mind that he is proud of her beyond recognition. He would keep asking her when they could get married or when she would be going to college because he has a smart girl and he only wants what’s best for her. Harry was interrupted from his fantasy by Niall calling him over. Niall seemed breathless when Harry approached him.

“What’s going on? Did you shit talk Pete too much again?” Harry asked, already cumulating a plan to hide Niall until Peter calmed down.

“No…..General Asher….wants to…..see….us….now,” Niall rasped out in between breaths that he was trying to catch.

“What? Why? We aren’t due to be shipped until…” Harry’s voice faded as Niall led the way to their barracks. It couldn’t be. Harry was the only one who knew about the Germans, and he hadn’t told a soul, not even to Mellie. Why would General Asher want to speak with Harry’s regiment? Running across base, Harry’s thoughts raced and he was so nervous by the time they reached the barrack’s door, he thought that he might puke right there. General Asher, who stood at 6’5, breathed out of his nose so hard that his mustached danced, which didn’t help Harry’s nerves. He felt General Asher’s eyes on him as he made his way to his bunk to stand at attention. Harry’s commanding officer stared holes into Harry, trying to cover up the fact the he too was nervous about this surprise meeting.

“So I’m sure you are all wondering why I called you here,” General Asher’s deep voice boomed throughout the room that echoed off the walls, “seems like there has been a leakage of information, and I have come to seek out the piece of shit that is doing so.” Harry’s slightly cupped hands suddenly clamp onto his olive green pants. It couldn’t be him, he hasn’t told anyone, but it couldn’t be any of the men in his men because they were all in their beds asleep when he found out about Germany. General Asher began to walk in front of men, looking down on them…except for Harry. He knew that he did no wrong so he boldly looked General Asher in the eyes. When General Asher came to Harry, he stopped walking and turned slightly to Harry’s commanding officer. “If any of you have information on the rat, come to me,” General Asher boomed and turned to face Harry again, “you may leave.”

The men began to shuffle out of the barracks. Niall and Harry turned to leave when General Asher called for one of them.

“Styles! That doesn’t apply to you!” Niall looked concerned for his friend, but Harry gave a slight nod and Niall made his way out of the barracks. Harry stood at attention where he was standing until General Asher told him otherwise.

“Don’t stand at attention for this son; I know that you know about the Germans. Why didn’t you sell the information?” General Asher asked, relaxing his macho man persona. Harry looked to Asher and his commanding officer. He honestly didn’t know why he kept it a secret. Maybe it was because if he said it out loud then it was really true. So scrambling his brain for an answer, Harry gave the most honest one he could think of.

“Because I have people waiting for me back home, and I want to go home as soon as I can. Wait, if you know then what’s the information being sold? So it’s true? When are they going to attack?” Panic is evident in Harry’s voice, but General Asher and Harry’s officer looked at each other and nodded their heads. Everything in this moment of silence made Harry sick to his stomach. He really wanted Mellie to be here with him, but mostly to be home with her.

“Good man, I’ll remember that one day. Go on now, I’m through with you,” General Asher spoke with a stern voice, completely ignoring Harry’s questions, “not a word about any of this, ya hear? Except Horan. I want him in on this secret too.”

Harry left the barracks feeling the burden weighing on him, hoping to run into Niall. But mostly, he’s hoping to hear from Melanie Rose soon.

22 May, 1940

Hi My Love,

I did it. I graduated. This was a moment that I dreamed of sharing with you, and in a way you were there, but it wasn’t the same. Mum brought your picture to the ceremony, but as I walked across that platform, I felt this sense of pride. I knew you were proud of me and still are, I just wish you were here to share this moment of my life with me.

I know it’s selfish to wish that you never left, but every day I pray to God to bring you home. I wait by the door hoping for a letter and by the phone for a call, but I know that those are few and far between because of the distance. I just wish I could hold you and tell you that everything is going to be okay and it’s going to get better.

Jennifer and the girls are going to the fair that’s coming in a few months, and they’re taking their boyfriends. They asked me to come along, but I don’t want to because to be the only one there that’s not with someone. I know you said you hate heights, but when you come home, let’s go to a fair and ride every single ride.

Now, please don’t get mad. I signed up to be a nurse for the war, and I’m being stationed out in a few months. I know that you’re getting stationed somewhere, and you hate me fretting over you, but now I’m going to experience what it’s like to be somewhere that’s not home. I’m not doing this to get to get out of the house, but for our country, and to maybe bring us closer to each other. I know that you’ll be angry, but they rotate nurses so I will only be a nurse for a few months and I will be shipped back home until they need me again. You can’t stop me because I’ve already done it and you’re far away, which kills me every time I think about it. When I’m done with nursing, I can go to college if that’s what I want to do. I still haven’t made up my mind yet, because I still want to be a mother and a wife.

Right now, I’m sitting on my floor beside my bed looking at your picture. Without you, I am broken, and I know I am my own person, but you, you make me feel like I belong, like I matter. That I’m more than just a girl who is hopelessly and completely in love that it’s mental. Please come home to me. I always cling to your necklace for when I’m missing you more than usual. You are the light of my world, and without you here I’m alone in the darkness. You have this power and control over me that even miles apart you still know make me feel like I am worth every struggle and strife. You are the love of my life, my soul mate forever Harry.

If you ever doubt my love, please know that I could never love someone else the way I love you. You will always be my first love, the one who I will always compare to, and if I am lucky enough to marry you, I will never not tell you how much you mean to me every day. I am so ready to have you in my arms again.

Tonight is a full moon, and I know that you love those. I’m praying that there is a chance you can see it. One day, my love, we will be able to sit on the porch and watch the moon together every night with our children tucked soundly in bed, and be very much in love. I like to imagine that we are like an instrument and a beat. One would not have a meaning without the other. You pull me in, when my head is floating, like a magnet. I’m being pulled into you…I always am, and Harry I never want to be let go.

I hope that Niall is behaving himself, somehow I have this feeling that he gets into trouble a lot, but you ground people so I know you’re good for him.

I went over to eat lunch with your family, and they could not stop glowing about their letter. Maggie is thrilled that she’s going to be an aunt. No matter what happens, love, your family insists that I am their daughter.

Mum is beginning to get morning sickness, and she swears that I will never want to be pregnant, but if it means that I can have our child, I will endure every morning’s sickness and every uncomfortable moment.

Dad asked me what I missed most about you, and Dad insisted that it was your humor. While I do miss your horrible jokes, I miss your eyes. Those bright green eyes that brought me so much joy, laughter, and love. Because when I look into your eyes, I am home. We could go anywhere in the world, and I will be home as long as I have you around.

People in the church have asked me why I have stayed with you, and why I continue to feed into this delusion that you’ll come back for me. I pray and pray so hard that God watches over you and knows that we’re worth it. These people…they don’t know about us, about what we go through, about what we feel, and that’s not something I’m going to give up on easily.

I am forever yours, in this life and the next.

With all my love and life,

Mellie

Melanie Rose sat back against the edge of her bed and cried, not because she missed Harry, but because she meant every word in that letter. She spilled her heart out onto the paper, and somehow there wasn’t enough words to explain how she felt about Harry. She would spend the rest of her life trying to explain and prove to Harry how madly in love with him she was.

That same night, Harry looked out the barrack’s window watching the full moon, knowing that Mellie was looking up at the same moon that he was, and he knew that everything would be okay in the end, even if right now or in his near future wasn’t… 

Three Months Later

Melanie Rose pressed down on her white nursing uniform for the tenth time before she headed out of her tent. Three months have passed, a few letters were exchanged between her and Harry. He didn’t take news well, but he got over it because he knew that there was nothing stopping Melanie Rose from doing what she set her mind on. Harry had been stationed near Melanie Rose, but with him working on airplanes, he was busier now more than ever. And while being this wasn’t what Melanie Rose had pictured for her to be taking care of soldiers who were on the front line, she had met a few good people, some even that might have made good friends back home.

Melanie Rose’s feet crunched under the dirt as she walked to the make shift hospital, and as she lifted the flap, she saw a soldier sitting on a bed at her station. Melanie Rose huffed a heavy breath out and forced a smile. She walked over to the soldier who didn’t seem hurt, but still she was worried.

“Hello, my name is Melanie Rose and I will be taking care of you today,” Melanie Rose’s line sounded more rehearsed than it should have been, but it was 5 a.m. and the only thing Melanie Rose wanted was sleep.

“Melanie Rose? Like as in Mellie?” the dark haired man asked as he looked up at Melanie Rose. There stood a familiar face, one she had not seen in a year. Melanie Rose cupped her opened mouth with her hand. It couldn’t have been. She hadn’t seen him since he dropped out of high school.

“Matt? Matt Irwin? Is that really you?” Melanie Rose nearly fell on top of Matt, trying to hug him. Matt Irwin was the one person who had seen Harry grow up and had not cared if he turned into a right bad boy, he would still be there for Harry. They had grown up together, and Melanie Rose could not thank Matt enough for being Harry’s friend. This wasn’t Harry, this was still some part of him that she had not seen in a while. “What are you doing here?”

“Same as you I guess,” Matt patted Melanie Rose’s back with one hand. This was more awkward than inappropriate. “How’s Harry?”

“Good I suppose. He hasn’t really written me back since he got stationed a few towns over. He’s working on the planes.”

“That’s dangerous business,” Matt slipped the information that Melanie Rose had been trying to avoid, “I know Harry’s got it, he’s great with machines.”

“Yeah you’re right, but what are you in for? You don’t seem to be hurt…”

“I cut my finger on my knife when I was trying to hot wire the jeep…” Matt confessed. He hadn’t changed at all.

“Wait ‘til Harry gets a load of this,” Melanie Rose laughed, truly feeling happy in a very long time. She had someone from back home to talk to. Matt was a friend that she could count on, and she knows that Matt, even though he moved off to London, had always supported Harry for being with Melanie Rose while the rest of his friends didn’t and for that Melanie Rose could never stop being grateful for Matt.

“Speaking of Harry getting a load, when’s the wedding?” Matt raised his eyebrow as Melanie Rose bandaged Matt’s finger. “I need some nieces and nephews running around soon.”

Melanie Rose smiled and shook her head. “He’s waiting until he comes home…whenever that might be.”

“Tell him to cut his hand and they’ll send him home immediately since I cut my finger and I had to come here,” Matt waved his uninjured hand around.

“Don’t worry, I will, I definitely will…”


	6. The Truth Always Comes Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “There was a time when I was alone. Nowhere to go and no place to call home. My only friend was the man in the moon, and even sometimes he would go away, too”
> 
> Go live your life while I’m away. Please I beg of you. I don’t wish you to spend your days lying in bed waiting for me to come home, because let’s face it Mellie, I might not ever come back. Live your life. Go to the fair with Jennifer and the rest. I don’t want to stop you from seeing the beauty of the days and the glory of the nights. I am here, and there isn’t anything I can do to stop that. Go live your life, for me. You are the light of my world, please don’t dim.

5 September, 1940

Hi My Dearest,

I don’t know if this will reach you before you find out, but I have some terrible news. Before I get to that, know that I am back home safe. I couldn’t write you because I truly could not find the words. Even now I don’t know if I can. I’m so sorry Harry, I really am. I tried everything I could.

I’m sure you know about the Germans bombing a few towns in between us. I wasn’t anywhere near the city, but Harry, Matt…he was there when the Germans dropped the bombs. He was securing the perimeter during his watch, and…oh God Harry. He was carried on a stretcher to where our hospital was, and I had to take care of him. Harry, he was half mangled up when he got to me. One of his legs was…Harry I can’t explain how truly frightening it was to see Matt in that moment. One of his legs wasn’t with him when he came to me.

I remember everything every time I close my eyes. Flashes of him screaming out in pain still haunt my dreams. His arm covered his stomach, holding his organs in. Oh Harry, war and killing have no place on this earth. I saw the fear in his eyes and I swear I heard my heart shatter. He was the only thing I had of yours that I could hold onto. His whole body shook from the amount of blood loss, but Harry I couldn’t help but imagine you laying on the bed dying. He was such a hero, and he died one. He saved his comrade from the most of the bomb and shrapnel.

He took my hand and told me to tell you that you need to marry me. He called me a God sent angel. Harry, I stared into the face of a scared man, and saw death slowly creep in and consume him. I tried saving him. I tried everything to stop the blood from coming, but there was so much…Harry I, I can not explain how sorry I am. I know he was your best friend…..

I’m so scared for you. Please be safe. 

10 September,1940

My Love,

Jennifer has invited me once again to the fair that is coming up in two months. I don’t feel like going for the sole purpose that I feel I have let you down. I couldn’t save Matt and for that I will be forever sorry. 

Mum is getting bigger everyday. She believes it’s a boy, but no one will know until the baby arrives.

Do you remember when you snuck into my room late one evening, and I ended up reading that Peter Pan book to you? You laid on my floor staring at the ceiling saying that one day we’ll have our own Neverland. I thought that you were talking from lack of sleep, however more than ever I believe that you’re Peter Pan and I’m your Wendy waiting for you to come back.

Please be safe, my love.

20 September, 1940

Harry my love,

I haven’t sent off any of the other letters because for the simple fact that this is apart of my daily routine. I wake up, pray for your safety and your return, and I write to you. Sometimes it’s just sweet notes, but other times I could write for hours. Writing to you is the only way I can cope. I miss you with everything that I am. My love for you has no end, and I will love you through any lifetimes that I have. Please return to me soon my darling. How unfair is it to wish that you come home to me alive when Matt went home in a casket with a flag over it.

I spoke to his mom at his funeral two days ago. She knew that I had been there in Matt’s last moments, and she thanked me for easing his suffering. I failed her. I wanted to keep Matt alive, even if it was for my own selfish reasons. The funeral was nice. Your dad prayed over the soldiers that are still fighting; he barely kept himself together when he talked about your friendship with Matt. The army gave Matt the twenty-one-gun salute, and I only thought of you.

You are working on airplanes and around machines that could easily blow up. There you would be gone in a blink of an eye. How selfish of me to think of you when we laid to rest your best friend. I’m so sorry darling… You two were inseparable.

Maybe the reason why I think of you during this time is because I know we’re worth it. We’re worth the fight. The distance, the fights we had before you left, the lonely nights, the tears, the hurt that is becoming a part of us because in the end we will be together, whether in this life or the next. I am forever yours.

Love yours forever,

Mellie x

Late October 1940

Harry stuffed Melanie Rose’s letter inside his jacket pocket. Tears that he didn’t know he had came falling down his face. His best friend. The one person besides Melanie Rose he knew would be there for him. Harry was going to ask him to be his best man when he proposed to Mellie after he came home. He knew that the bombing went on a few months ago, and in those months of worrying, he had thought that Mellie….But it wasn’t her, and for that he’ll be forever grateful, but not his best friend, the one person who could watch out for Mellie.

Harry’s fist balled and anger filled his body. Why did it have to be Matt? Why couldn’t it be anyone else. Harry, very much filled with rage and hurt, thrust himself off his bed and walked outside of his barrack with the cold wind immediately hitting him. The metal siding of the building was his victim when his fist flew. Harry stood there with his fist still placed where he had just hit with tears coming down faster than he ever intended. Harry steps closer to the building and rests his hot forehead on the cool metal building.

“WHY GOD WHY?” Harry cried out. His fist drew back, and for a second Harry thought about letting it drop, but God does it feel good to let go of the hesitation. The sound of metal clanking filled the quiet area. Again and again. And again. And again. Harry hit the side of his barracks until he felt a warm liquid oozing from his knuckles. His heart pounding, Harry turned his body and slid down the metal siding, wiping his tears with his bloody hand.

Minutes may have passed or maybe even and hour or two before Harry saw the rosy cheeked face of his friend coming around the bind.

“’Arry? You alright?” Niall asks as he takes in his surroundings. A bloody dent in the side of his barracks, his friend crying with blood smeared across his face made Niall only think of one person. “Melanie? What happened?”

Harry shook his head, his heart dropped. He winced as he took the letter with his hurt hand from his jacket pocket giving it to Niall to read. Niall’s eyes scanned over the 4 page letter quickly, pausing only for a moment when he heard Harry sniffle.

“He was more like my brother than anything mate,” Harry wept. “I wanted him to be my best mate at my wedding, and now…now he can’t.”

“Harry, I’m sorry, I truly am. But if the guys see you, they’re gonna think yer even more of a pansy.”

Harry nodded and wiped the remaining tears off his face. Niall held out a hand to help Harry up, which Harry took, and Niall gave Harry back his letter, stuffing it in his jacket pocket once again. Niall placed his hand on Harry’s shoulder, looking him in the eyes before speaking.

“I’m sorry you lost yer best mate, and I’m here for you. My best mate died a couple of years back, and it kills me every day that he isn’t here to cause trouble with me. It’s the distance that kills you. You can’t call them up anymore ‘cause they’re with the Lord God Almighty if they even believed. If this is how you react to yer best mate dying a heroic death…Harry look at me…Matt died protecting someone other than himself. He’s fucking hero in my book, and Melanie Rose saw that, and she said she tried saving him. Harry, she could have been at the sight, she could have been the one who died. How do you think you would react if you received a letter from her parents saying she isn’t here anymore? That she’s the one who died? You’ve got more blessings than you realize.” Niall had finished his speech, and while his attempt to make Harry feel better had been a good one, Harry still felt alone.

“Niall, she’s all I got left. How am I supposed to not worry if something happens to her?” Harry demanded. This was the first time Niall had shown that he was hurt by Harry yelling at him. His blue eyes fell to the ground, concentrating on the gravel below. His grasp on Harry’s shoulder had recoiled with the cold wind whipping between them.

“You have me, mate,” Niall whispered, his voice low. Harry, finally understanding that Niall was being the friend that he needed, quickly wrapped his arms around Niall, hugging him.

“Thanks. I’m never thought that an Irishman would be my friend.”

Niall wrapped his arms around Harry’s back for a moment before letting go.

“Never thought I’d have and Englishman as my best mate, but here ya are,” Niall winked. “You need to get that hand taken care of or you’re no good on them planes.” Harry and Niall made their way inside the warm barracks so Harry could wash the dried blood on his hand. He’d write to Melanie Rose later, but for now, Harry wants to grieve for the distance that he now has with Matt.

30 October, 2016

My dearest Mel,

I received your letter a few days ago. All this time I thought something had happened to you when I didn’t receive any letters from you. I’m eternally thankful that no harm came to you when you on the field and that you’re home. Matt was a good friend, the best friend a person could have, and for him to have you, the love of my life, at the end of his life is something that I will cherish forever. Thank you for being the kind and warm person that you are. I’ve always wanted to marry you, I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you that I wanted to spend the rest of my life discovering who you are and loving you. I will honor Matt’s wishes when I come home. You mean the world to me Mellie, and I intend on spending the rest of our lives showing you exactly what you mean to me.

Go live your life while I’m away. Please I beg of you. I don’t wish you to spend your days lying in bed waiting for me to come home, because let’s face it Mellie, I might not ever come back. Live your life. Go to the fair with Jennifer and the rest. I don’t want to stop you from seeing the beauty of the days and the glory of the nights. I am here, and there isn’t anything I can do to stop that. Go live your life, for me.

You are the light of my world, please don’t dim.

On God’s will I will see you again.

H. x

Melanie Rose read her letter from Harry and wept that mid-November morning. She had told Jennifer that she might go with them, but she wanted to back out when she found that Jennifer and the rest of the girls would be bringing their dates plus a stag. She felt guilty about it, but after reading Harry’s letter begging her to go, she got up from her chair in the living room and rang Jennifer up. After minutes of unimportant babble, Melanie Rose finally agreed to go that night.

“This is great! Leopold won’t have to go on the rides alone!” Jennifer exclaimed before Melanie Rose bid her goodbye.

Later that evening, Melanie arrived at the fair with Jennifer and the rest of her friends, including Ellie whose boyfriend never stationed. At the entrance of the fair, there stood four men waiting for the girls to arrive. Jennifer, Ellie, and Mackenzie each hugged their beaus neck while a handsome man stared at Melanie Rose awkwardly. He had the same jet black curls and bright emerald green eyes that Harry had. Melanie Rose stood there thoughtless as she thought she was seeing a ghost of her own boyfriend standing in front of her. But it couldn’t be for he didn’t have the same dimples in his cheeks and his eyes didn’t crinkle when he smiled at her.

“Hi, I’m…urm I’m Leopold Carter, but people mostly call me L-Leo,” the man stammered. He wasn’t as confident as Harry either. He stuck out his hand waiting for Melanie Rose to shake it.

“I’m Melanie Rose Rhys.” Melanie Rose extended her hand and shook Leopold’s hand. “But you can call me Melanie.” Leopold smiled as the group began to walk into the fair.

“I heard that you, um, you have a boyfriend,” Leopold began as they walked among the tents of activities trying to make this a less awkward moment.

“Oh yes Harry! He’s away in the army working on airplanes for the war…” Melanie Rose trailed off. She longs for Harry to be here in this moment, walking with her instead of Leopold.

“He’s a lucky man and he must trust you a lot to spend time alone with me,” Leopold said, his eyes looking forward, but Melanie Rose saw Leopold stealing glances when they walked.

“He actually…wanted me to be here. He just lost his best friend to the Germans so he wants me to live my life, but he doesn’t know about you.” Leopold turned his head to look at Melanie Rose wide-eyed. “And in my defense I just found out that you were coming.”

“Well, I’m here because James didn’t want me to sit in my office all night long again.” Leopold looked back at the madness that the fair held. People rushing by, pushing Melanie Rose and Leopold together.

“Office? Where do you work?” Melanie Rose asked, more intrigued by Leopold. She cast her gaze on him while he informed her that he was a lawyer-to-be and when he did become a lawyer, he wanted to own his practice.

“I want to help people and actually be affordable.” Leopold stepped behind Melanie Rose to let an elderly couple by. “What do you want to be?”

“A wife and a mom,” Melanie Rose answered. “I know it sounds ridiculous since I worked so hard in high school, but that’s my dream. I want to be in love and love my children without anything in return because I could have nothing in this life except for a family and I would be content.”

“That’s beautiful, honestly. And it was said by a beautiful girl,” Leopold stated truthfully making Melanie Rose blush. “I’m sorry, I forgot you had Harry.” Hours passed as they rode on the Ferris wheel and ate cotton candy while talking about their life. Leopold is a respectful man who has a lot going for him, but no matter how much Melanie Rose tried to give herself reassurance that love could have other options, her mind was wondered back to Harry. At the end of the night when the other couples had gone off by themselves, Leopold offered to walk Melanie Rose home. When they arrived at Melanie Rose’s front stoop, Leopold shook Melanie Rose’s hand once again.

“Hey Melanie,” Leopold called out as Melanie Rose opened her screen door, her heart racing. “Would it be alright if we were friends?”

“Of course, I’d love that.” Melanie Rose smiled before walking inside feeling guilty that living her life might come with a few surprises.


	7. Silver Lining

Melanie Rose was pained with guilt and maybe that was the reason she hadn’t written Harry in almost a month. That night in late October with Leopold replayed in her head. It had been the first interaction she had with anyone outside her family since Matt died.

Maybe the pain of being lonely made her not pick up a pen to bring it to the page as she sat at her desk trying to force the words to come out.

And maybe for the reason she didn’t have any words to spew out was because there wasn’t any…besides the words about Leopold.

They were friends. And Melanie Rose truly believed that. But the silence on the letter was deafening.

Harry was and, of course, always will be her first love. First loves never die. Or at least that’s what Melanie Rose was hoping for. This war had caused not only distance in the physical sense, but also in the heart. Melanie Rose never questioned if the distance was worth it because it was. But she yearned to be able to talk to Harry, to see expressions from his dimpled smile to his bright green eyes. One day she’ll get to see Harry again in one lifetime or another, but she’s really hoping it’s this one.

Melanie Rose sighed, defeated by the unwritten letter. There was no way Harry would take this well, but the truth is better than a lie, so Melanie Rose picked up the pen again feeling rather brave and began to write to Harry:

"29 November, 1940

My Dearest Harry,

I went to the fair. It was wonderful with all the lights and rides. I thought of you when I walked past the man conning built males like yourself into hammering the little ball up to the bell. You would have loved it.

I hate how you’re missing out on all these adventures because of this war, but blimey Harry I miss you dearly. Jennifer, Mackenzie, and Ellie had dates to the fair. Their boyfriends brought along a stag named Leopold, and he was nice. He knows about you and how we’re going to get married when you come home. He listened when I told him about how we met, and he wishes he had something like us. He was a great friend that night.

Mum’s doing well as one would do when they’ve delivered a baby. I’m finally a big sister, sweetheart! I have a little brother. They named him Edward. Edward James Rhys. Oh can you believe it? When you come home, you’re going to want a baby. I know it.

I cannot wait to marry you my darling. One day, we’ll be in a church; you’ll be fit in your tux, and I will be in dress made of white lace walking down to you, to give my life to you."

Melanie Rose wrote on about her mundane life back home, often pausing to imagine what her life would be like if Harry wasn’t stationed away. Would they be married already? Would be barefoot and pregnant, living at home while Harry worked as some shop owner? Or would he work at the pub? Or even in the factory? How many kids would they have? Two or three, maybe five? Melanie Rose remembered when Harry told her on their many talks walking under the pale moonlight that he wanted to name his first daughter Darcy. It never occurred that she would spend the rest of their relationship praying that their first child would be a girl with bright green eyes with brown curls, just like Harry.

Maybe in another world Melanie Rose would be sitting on the couch with her feet propped up on Harry’s lap reading a book, but this world was hers, and she was going to own every minute of it.

Especially while Harry was away. She would find who she was as a person before she gave herself away. She never planned to do anything wild, but she definitely wanted to stick her feet in the water.

She’d start by going to the library and check out a book she normally wouldn’t.

"I love you beyond measure, my heart yearns for you and your safe return. Please be careful. You mean absolutely everything to me. I would die if you ever did. My love for you has no conditions. Be safe and return to me.

I’m not going to leave you now, because I know it’s going to get better. 

Love for eternity my darling,

Mellie x"

Mellie signed her name, and as she set her pen down, she looked up to the picture of Harry from all those months tilted on a porcelain angel. How much has he changed? Would he have scars from where tools would cut him and he’d curse under his breath? Or would his scars be deeper? Would he come back far too distraught from war to even function? Whatever the case may be, Melanie Rose vowed to herself and God that she would look after him until his last breath.

Crawling into bed late at night became a norm for Melanie Rose. She spent most days trying to busy herself from thinking about Harry, but nights nearly sickened her with worry. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for Harry, even if that meant waiting for her dreams of being wife and mother to come true. That night as Melanie Rose laid down she become frightened and hopeful. Scared for the future, but full of hope that she would be reunited with Harry soon.

She just didn’t know which one she had more of.

-  
13 December, 1940

Harry wasn’t daft enough to go out to receive post in this weather, but Mellie hadn’t written in over a month. He had wondered if she had forgotten him, but Harry shook his head as pulled his coat on to fetch the mail. He knew Melanie Rose would wait for him, that she loves him unconditionally, and he would be with her if it weren’t for this damned war.

The upcoming winter had made it grand appearance early. Snow started falling softly as Harry trudged across base to see Arnold, the postman. He thought of asking the men in his barracks if they wanted him to pick up their post, but they mostly only cared for what Harry longed for. To get out.

The memory of General Asher replayed in his mind as the months had passed. He knew about the Germans coming and never said a word of warning; it killed Matt because it. Because he wanted to prove himself something in this God forsaken hell hole. General Asher said he’d remember him and Niall when the time come, but only time drudged on. Harry felt lost in a time warp. Day in and day out, Harry woke at four in the morning to shower, make his bed, and wait for role call. Then he would make his way with Niall to the hanger to work on more battle planes, putting together engines and fixing battered wings. It was terrifying working around the engines already put in the airplane. One tiny mistake and the hanger is blown to pieces. He always prayed that he never has to work like that again.

Harry was at old man Arnold’s office before he realized. This was part of his daily routine, coming to the postman’s office to see he had any letters. This wasn’t an office per say, it was more like an extension of the offices on base. The walls were made out of leftover scrap metal and the door was a piece of tarp that folded with the wind.

“Anything for me today, Mr. Arnold?” Harry gazed down at the massive piles of letters that Arnold had to shuffle through. In his late seventies, Arnold was given the job of checking if anything suspicious came through the post. Nothing ever did, except for Harry’s bunk mate who received a batch of month old cookies from his mum.

“A letter from your sister, I believe,” Arnold and Harry had come to know each other quite often during these daily trips. Harry grew tired of waiting weekly for the workers to deliver the post so Harry took it upon himself to check it daily.

Harry’s face sunk as he turned to leave. It wasn’t that he was disappointed that Maggie wrote because this is more than she’s ever said to him since he left. But he just wanted to hear from Mellie, just to see how she was doing.

“Oi, wait,” Arnold shuffled through some papers, “this just arrived this morning. It’s from your girl, Styles.”

Harry grabbed the letter from Arnold, thanking him before heading back to the barracks. He couldn’t wait to see how the fair was for Mellie.

He should have waited. She went on a date with that Leopold guy. Sure, Mellie assured Harry that they were friends, but Leopold is a guy. Harry knew how guys worked, but he had nothing to worry about, at least he hoped. Mellie said she talked to Leopold about him, and that should be enough to scare him away.

The good news is that Harry’s basically an uncle, and to make it more profound that Harry was apart of the family, Melanie Rose’s parents named their new baby after him. He couldn’t believe it.

Harry had read the last of Mellie’s letter when Niall barged into the barracks, red-faced and panting for oxygen.

“Oi…..’arri….yer not…..gonna…yer not gonna believe it,” Niall huffed. For Niall to be so fit and muscled as he claimed to be, he was gasping for air from wherever he came from. “Heard it from the sarg himself. We’re going home in February.”

A year later.

A year later, and he’d see Melanie Rose again.

And he’d finally get to marry her.


End file.
